PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 15-278 March 3, 2015 PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON RECOMMENDED NATIONWIDE CHANNELS FOR DEPLOYABLE TRUNKED SYSTEMS IN THE 700 MHZ NARROWBAND PUBLIC SAFETY BAND PS Docket Nos. 13-87 and WT Docket 02-378 Comments due: April 2, 2015 Reply Comments due: April 17, 2015 Introduction. By this Public Notice, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on a recommended set of six channels available nationwide for 700 MHz deployable trunked systems. These channel sets were recommended by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council and the National Regional Planning Council. 1 Background. On October 17, 2014, the Commission adopted a Report and Order revising certain rules governing the 700 MHz public safety narrowband channels. 2 Specifically, the Commission released the narrowband reserve channels (twenty four 12.5 kHz channels) to General Use under the administration of the 700 MHz Regional Planning Committees (RPCs) for the benefit of state and local public safety licensees. 3 In the T-Band markets, 4 the Commission released the reserve channels for General Use under RPC administration with priority access given to T-Band incumbents within 80 km of the city center coordinates as specified in Sections 90.303 and 90.305 5 of the Commission’s rules. 1 See Letter to David G. Simpson, Rear Admiral (ret.), U.S. Navy, Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, from Ralph Haller, Chair, National Public Safety Telecommunications Council and William J. Carter, Chair, National Regional Planning Council re PS Docket 13-87 and WT Docket 02-278 (dated Feb. 13, 2015) (NPSTC/NRPC Letter). 2 Proposed Amendments to the Service Rules Governing Public Safety Narrowband Operations in the 769-775/799- 805 MHz Bands, PS Docket No. 13-87, PS Docket No. 06-229, WT Docket No. 96-86, RM-11433, RM-11577, Report and Order, 29 FCC Rcd 13283 (2014) (Report and Order). 3 Id. at 13297 ¶ 39. 47 C.F.R. § 90.531(b)(2). 4 Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; New York, New York/N.E. New Jersey; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; San Francisco/Oakland, California; Washington, District of Columbia/Maryland/Virginia (the Affected T-Band Markets). See 47 C.F.R. § 90.303. There are no T-Band public safety incumbents in Cleveland, Ohio, or Detroit, Michigan. Id. 5 47 C.F.R. §§ 90.303, 90.305. Outside the T-Band markets the Commission authorized the RPCs to assign (1) up to eight 12.5 kHz former reserve channels for deployable trunked systems and (2) sixteen 12.5 kHz channels for General Use, including vehicular mobile repeaters (MO3). 6 While the Commission stated, “RPCs have the flexibility to designate a mixture of General Use and temporary (deployable trunked infrastructure) channels in their Regional Plans[,]” 7 the Commission also encouraged NPSTC and the NRPC to specify discrete channels for deployable trunked systems and technical standards for RPCs within three months of the publication of the Report and Order in the Federal Register (i.e.March 2, 2015). NPSTC and NRPC Recommended Channel list for Deployable Trunked Systems. On February 13, 2015, NPSTC and the NRPC recommended a list of six sets of 700 MHz channels to be allocated nationwide for 700 MHz deployable systems. The NPSTC/NRPC Recommended Channel Allocation for Deployable Trunked Systems is as follows: Deployable Trunked Channel Channel Number 12.5 kHz Center Frequency Channel Spacing (kHz) A 37-38 769.23125 N/A B 61-62 769.38125 150 C 117-118 769.73125 350 D 141-142 769.88125 150 E 883-884 774.51875 CC-P (Channel 883-884 is designated as a Primary Control Channel (CC-P) for the nationwide deployable system) 4500 F 939-940 774.86875 CC-A (Channel 939-940 is designated Alternate Control Channel (CC- A) for the nationwide deployable system) 350 While NPSTC and the NRPC acknowledge that the Report and Order specified that up to eight channels could be selected for deployable trunked use, NPSTC and NRPC note that their proposed six channel sets have the “most commonality nationwide” while providing the following benefits: ? A minimum channel separation of 150 kHz for combiner suitability. ? Ability to use U.S. primary channels in the Mexican and Canadian border areas. ? Consistent use of channels in the border and non-border areas. 6 Report and Order, at 13299, 13301 ¶¶ 46, 51. 7 Id. at footnote 126. ? Operationally simple. ? Enough capacity to handle the majority of incidents that require deployable trunk systems; and ? The channels are usable in all geographical areas of the nation except for channels 117-118 and 141-142, in the Canada sharing sector 2 area. 8 Furthermore, NPSTC and NRPC state that the Telecommunications Industry Association has concluded that the proposed channel plan is workable. 9 NPSTC and the NRPC considered alternative proposals but found that the trade-off of lower transmit combiner costs and increased capacity did not overcome the loss of sufficient coverage in the U.S./Canada border area and increased operational complexity. 10 NPSTC and the NRPC recognized that public safety agencies could work directly with the relevant RPC if more than six channels were needed for deployable trunked systems. 11 Finally, NPSTC and the NRPC continue to work on a number of operational issues regarding deployable trunked systems, including identification of common system key, common interoperable talk group names and other technical matters to ensure the effective use of these systems nationwide. 12 Request for Comments on the NPSTC and NRPC Recommendations. Prior to taking further action on the NPSTC and NRPC recommendations, by this Public Notice we solicit comments on the recommended set of channels for deployable trunked systems. Pursuant to Sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments on the recommendations on or before April 2, 2015. All comments should reference PS Docket 13-87 and WT Docket No. 02-378. Parties may file comments and reply comments by using (1) the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the Federal Government’s eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). ? Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Filers should follow the instructions provided on the website for submitting comments. ? For ECFS Filers: In completing the transmittal screen, filers should include their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, and the rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions, filers should send an email to ecfs@fcc.gov and include the following words in the body of the message: “get form.” A sample form and directions will be sent in response. ? Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. 8 NPSTC/NRPC Letter at 1-2 and note 1. NPSTC and the NRPC recommended that the Commission engage in further discussions with Canada over increased sharing of these channels to support increased interoperable trunked solutions along the Sector 2 border area. Id. at note 4. 9 Id. at 2. 10 Id. In its letter filing, NPSTC and the NRPC attached a copy of the alternative proposals they rejected. 11 Id. at 3. 12 Id. Commenters may send filings by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although the Commission continues to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). Commenters must address all filings to: Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. ? Effective December 28, 2009, commenters must submit all hand-delivered or messenger- delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary to FCC Headquarters at 445 12 th Street, SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. PLEASE NOTE: The Commission’s former filing location at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE is permanently closed. ? Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. ? U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20554. ? People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (tty). Commenters must address all filings to the Commission’s Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20554. Parties must also serve one copy with the Commission’s copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI), Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, (202) 488-5300, or via email to fcc@bcpiweb.com. The NPSTC and NRPC Recommendations are available through ECFS at ecfs@fcc.gov. The NPSTC and NRPC documents in PS Docket 13-87 and WT Docket No. 02-378 are available for public inspection and copying during business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th St. SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. The documents may also be purchased from BCPI, telephone (202) 488-5300, facsimile (202) 488-5563, TTY (202) 488-5562, email fcc@bcpiweb.com. For further information regarding this matter, contact John A. Evanoff, Esq., Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau at (202) 418-0848 or John.Evanoff@fcc.gov. -FCC-